Is 16 Too Young to Drive?

Article by Robert Davis

p. 247
Fatal Car Crashes Drop for 16-
Year-Olds, Rise for Older Teens
Allison Aubrey
Article by

p. 256
Why are we reading these texts?

Articles about similar or related topics allow students to

compare and contrast information and ideas. These texts
explore a topic of great interest to young people-driving-
while providing an opportunity to analyze and interpret the
facts they encounter in their reading.
Setting a Purpose

As you read, think about the points each writer

makes regarding the age requirements for
drivers. Look for evidence that supports each
point.
Stop #1 Lines 1-7

 Remember that the central idea of a piece of writing is the main

concept a writer wants to convey.
 Identify the statement that describes the central idea of the article.
Stop #2 Lines 39-49

Authors use details to support a central, or main, idea.

Details are specific facts, statistics, or quotations that
tell more about the central idea.
Which details support the author’s statement that
states have begun to restrict 16- year- old drivers?
Stop # 3 Lines 55-68

Readers draw conclusions when they make a judgement

based on evidence, experience, and reasoning.
What conclusions can you draw about what a “Baby
boomlet” is? Why does it create urgency about laws related
to teenage drivers?
Stop # 4 Lines 84-88

Quotations can be used to support a central idea. Writers

often use quotations from experts, people with skills or
knowledge of a particular topic.
In what way might the speaker be considered an expert about
teenage driving?
Stop #5 Lines 99-103

What is one reason some parents do not want to

increase the driving age?
Stop # 6 Lines 119-124

The author uses the word novice to describe the type

of teenage drivers who are most often involved in
accidents.
Why would a novice have more accidents than other
drivers?
Stop #7 Lines 136-151

Authors provide details to support a central idea.

Furthermore, a variety of effective supporting details make it
more likely that readers will accept and agree with the
author’s central idea.
Which scientific evidence is included that supports the idea
that the teenage brain is not fully developed yet?
Stop #8 181-188

Authors use descriptive language and idioms to make their

points more clearly. An idiom is an expression that has a
meaning that is different from the meaning of its individual
words.
Identify the idiom the author uses and explain its meaning.
Stop #9 Lines 211-225

 When reading an informational article, pay close attention to facts, details, and
other support for the writer’s central idea. Sometimes, readers must weigh the
relevance of that support and decide whether it is sufficient or helpful. Although
facts and statistics may seem especially convincing, they might not provide the
whole picture.
 Identify the details that explain “graduated licensing”.
 Why should readers be careful about interpreting the effectiveness of these rules?
Stop # 10 Lines 242-255

Authors may support a central idea by making a comparison

to a similar situation.
What comparison does the author use to end the article?
Fatal Car Crashes Drop for 16-
Year-Olds, Rise for Older Teens
Allison Aubrey
Article by

p. 256
Stop #1 Lines 21-25

What is the central idea of the article?

Stop # 2 Lines 1-20

What conclusions can you draw about why there are

fewer laws designed to restrict 18-year-old drivers or
force them to take driver’s education?